Remote control apparatus



Feb. 6, 1934.

'F. P. BERCOT 1,945,511

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l fiankh'nBenool,

ATTORNEY Feb. 6, 1934. P, B R 1,945,511

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n 5 Z ql 5/6' g 3 i Q g0 /5 E! 4 w P i i 5E J 1/ d 2 w! 53 A g r 54 4 25 BA VERY-55 I Baron INVENTDR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 6, 1934 PATENT OFFICE REMOTECONTROL APPARATUS Franklin R B erect, Fort Wayne, Ind. Application May22, 1931; Serial N0. 539,400

2 Claims. 1 (01. 172-239) The object of this invention is to providemeans for controlling radio dials and other similar appa; ratus fromnearby or remote points, and especially to provide elements which willoperate synchronously and which may be employed under various conditionsinstead of synchronous motors; adapted for simultaneously placing incorresponding positions those elements of a plurality of piecesofapparatus which must be so controlled. 7

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists inthe novel features of construction and in the novel arrangement of theelements herein disclosed, it being understood that modifications,alterations or changes may be made within the scope of the claimswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing at the left a power wheel orcontrolled element, and showing at the right of the view acommutatorlike device by means of which control is effected from adistant point or from any point where control is desired.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1, and through that portionof the apparatus by means of which the radio dial is rotated.

Figure 3 is an elevation and shows the principal element at the right ofFigure l, the wiring being omitted,this structure being employed foreffecting the control under consideration.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a graphical representation of the spacing of theelectromagnets appearing at the top of thisview, with reference to thepins A, B, C, D, these pins being shown in the five different positionsassumed by the rotatable element at the left of Figure 1, incident toeach complete stage of its operation.

Figure 6 is a further diagrammatic view showing the two principal piecesof apparatus which may be employed at the point from which control iseffected; the necessary structure for mechanical connection with theradio dial being mounted on the radio receiving apparatus, and notappearing in this view.

In carrying out the invention, the power wheel,

An annular element or wheel, of the type shown 11 Figures 1 and 2,includes a web portion 10 and a circumferential portion providingflanges 11 and 12; this structure is to be applied to the dial 13, bysuitable means, or merely by frictional engagemen't with the flangesjust referred to. The shaft or stem is designated 14.

'A plurality of radially extending pins 15, an gular in cross section,are applied to the outer portion of the wheel above referred to, andthese pins 15 are equally spaced, and in Figure 1 a series of four pinsis illustrated as being designated A, B, C, D. For cooperation withthese pins, broadly designated by reference number 15 and designated inseries as indicated,-I provide a plurality of electromagnets, eachincluding a coil 16 and a core 17, and the proportions are such that thepins and cores will have substantially the relation indicated in Figures1 and 6. The pins are of soft steel, permalloy, or steel of highpermeability is suitable. The magnets are in groups of five and in anymultiple thereof.

The electromagnets are connected by means of wires, such as those shownat 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, with contact points of the device at the right ofFigure 1, by means of which the radio dial 13 at'theleft is to becontrolled. Assuming that there are several groups of five contactdevices designated in general by the reference number 25, all contactdevices indicated by the numeral 3 for instance, are connected with asingle wire, such as wire 24, and this wire runs to the magnet appearingat the right in the group previously referred to in Figure 1. Thecircuit for this magnet'just mentioned is therefore through wire 24and'th e magnets indicated, thence through wire 30, battery 31 and wire32, to brush 33 which is adapted to contact with the elements 25, aswill readily be understood from an examination of Figures 3 and 4.

Brush 33 is rotatable with the hub portion 34 of the disk 35 mountingpins 25, but this rotation is effected indirectly, an arm 3'7 beingpositioned between devices 38 and 39 carried by brush 33 and spaced asshown, so that upon manual rotationby means of knob 40 and shaft or stem41, contact is first produced mechanically at 37 and 38, or 37 and 39,as the case may be, and immediately thereafter, rotation of the brush bymeans of the knob takes place. This construction is provided in orderthat there may be an open circuit under normal conditions, in view ofthe fact that arm 37 is held by springs 44, 45 in a neutral position, asindicated in Figure 3. It will be recalled that wire 32 from battery 31runs to the brush, and the circuit is completed thence through theindividual pins and the coils 16 of the series of five magnets (or anymultiple thereof) appearing at the left of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a graphical representation of the spacing of theelectromagnets 16 with reference to the steel pins 15, the horizontalrows of points representing the pins in the five different positions ofthe remote control device.

In connection with the operation of the device, reference being hadespecially to Figures 1 and 5,-

As the brush 33 is rotated at the point of remote control, coil 1 of theseries 16 is energized and point C, being the nearest, is brought toposition 1 indicated at the upper portion of Figure 5. As the brushcontinues to move, coil 2 is energised and point B is brought to theposition designated 2 at the upper portion of Figure 5. Coil 8 is nextenergized and point D is brought to the position 3 in Figure 5.Thereafter coil 4 is energiaed and point C is brought to position 4,Figure 5. Finally coil 5 is energized and point B is brought to-theposition 5, Figure 5.

Thus far, the power wheel applied to the radio dial or the like hasrotated a distance equal to the space between two consecutive pins, andthe pins are in the same relative position with reference to the magnetsas when the operation was started. Repetition of the foregoing operationfollows as the brush is rotated, and each time the brush panes 5 contactpoints, the rotatable device advances a distance equal to the distancebetween two consecutive pins 15.

When the apparatus is used for the remote control of a radio dial, andif desirable under any similar condition, a small power wheel such asthat shown in Figure 2 is employed at the point from which control iseifected. This drives a wave length index dial, and the two wheelscontrolled are in parallel because of the connections illustrated inFigure 5, and synchronous movement between the control devices at thepoint from which control is effected, and at the point where the controlis employed for turning an apparatus to be governed, is produced.

In Figure 6, the brush 33 is in electrical conneetion through wire withthe positive terminal of a source of current, or is presumed to be thusconnected, and wires 51, 52, 53, 54, are to be connected in the samemanner as wires 20 to 24 in Figure 1, with a power wheel so called atthe point where the control of a radio apparatusisproduced. Thesewires51 to55 areaiso in electrical connection through wires 20', I1,

22, 23, 24' with the coils of the magnets in the series designatedgenerally by reference character 16' in Figure 6. Wire 50 leads towardthe negative terminal of the source of current to be employed. An indexdial is thus controlled by means of the magnets of series 16', the pins15 and the rotatable structure including the flange 12' of a rotatabledevice corresponding with member 10 of Figure 2.

As the pieces of apparatus assumed to be employed in Figure 8, andincluding dial 60 and a dial such as dial 13 in Figure 1, are movablesimultaneously and synchronously, it is obvious that a control ofrotatable elements is eflected, such as that produced in a correspondingcontrol of synchronous motors.

Spring 64 of Figure 3 supplies current to arm 3'1.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a device of the class described, an element to be applied to aradio dial or the like, rotatable therewith, and including radialmembers subject to magnetic control, a plurality of stationaryelectro-magnets including coils, mounted in a segmental series in apredetermined relation with reference to the radial members, the magnetsexceeding the radial members in number in an approximately five to fourratio in an arc of less than ninety degrees defined by the movement ofsaid element rotatable with the dial, and said radial members each beingadvanced by the magnets a distance sufllcient to bring another of saidmembers in relation to a cooperating magnet at a point of maximum ef-.ficiency, for every electrical impulse, a plurality of contact membersarranged in an arc-like series, successive contact members beingconnected in non-progressive relationship with the coils of the magnets,individually, the sequence of the contactmembers being 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,and the sequence of the coils being 5, 2, 4, 1,3, with energization ofthe coils in the order in which the contacts occur, a brush assemblymovable over the contact members, a source of current, and meansconnecting said brush assembly with the source of current.

2. In a device of the class described, a disk member for application toa radio dial, said disk including oppositely located peripheral flangeseither one serving to engage an edge of the dial, and radial membersmounted in the edge of the disk andbetween the flanges, and meanspositioned to attract individual radial members, for movingthe dialangularly.

FRANIUJN P. BERCOT.

